Chocolate wafers and ginger cookies: Edible Christmas gifts
WHY rush to the shops when you could create the perfect present in your kitchen?
Raspberry and rose chocolate wafers
150g best-quality dark chocolate (72% cocoa)
150g best-quality white chocolate
3-4 tbsp freeze-dried raspberry crispies (about 25g)
3-4 tbsp crystallised rose petals
3-4 tbsp pink sugared rose chips or sugar sprinkles
Makes: 10-12
PREPARATION: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES
Line two large baking sheets with non-stick parchment.
Break the dark and white chocolate into pieces and melt separately in heatproof bowls set over pans of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and cool slightly. Spoon heaped teaspoonfuls of melted chocolate into discs with the back of the spoon. Scatter with the raspberry crispies, rose petals and rose chips or sugar sprinkles.
Set aside to cool and harden completely before removing from the parchment with a palette knife and packaging.
Stored in an airtight container, these will keep for 4-5 days.
Ginger snapdragon cookies
200g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
175g golden syrup
75g black treacle
1 large egg, beaten
425g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4-5 tsp ground ginger
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt
2 nuggets of stem ginger, finely chopped
Makes: 20
PREPARATION: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and line 2 solid baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment.
Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the golden syrup, treacle and beaten egg and mix until smooth. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir into the mixture. Add the chopped stem ginger and mix again until thoroughly combined.
Using 2 spoons, place walnut-sized balls of the mixture on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Bake in batches on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Cool them before packaging.
Stored in an airtight box or biscuit tin, these will keep for 4-5 days.
Recipes taken from Gifts From The Kitchen by Annie Rigg (£14.99, Kyle Books), photos by Catherine Gratwicke.
To order your copy, call the Express Bookshop on 01872 562310, send a cheque or postal order payable to The Express Bookshop, to Express Bookshop, PO Box 200, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4WJ, or order online at expressbookshop.com.
